Coronation Street actress Beverley, 61, said the stigma around mental health is being 'chipped away' and there was a danger it could become 'fashionable' to discuss mental illness in an interview with Best Magazine

Beverley Callard headed to a performance of The Rocky Horror Show in Manchester on Saturday, amid a backlash over her comments about mental health.

The Coronation Street actress, 61, was slammed by Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner and baker Nadiya Hussain after questioning celebrities' motives for discussing illnesses such as depression and anxiety in an interview with Best Magazine.

Beverley, who plays Liz McDonald in the soap, has spoken openly about her ongoing battle with depression, and said there was a danger it could become 'fashionable' to discuss mental illness.

Stepping out: Beverley Callard headed to a performance of The Rocky Horror Show in Manchester on Saturday, amid a backlash over her comments about mental health

Pose: The Coronation Street actress, 61, was slammed by Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner and baker Nadiya Hussain after questioning celebrities' motives for discussing illnesses such as depression and anxiety in an interview with Best Magazine.

She also claimed some stars treat mental health issues like 'Gucci handbags.'

In the midst of the online backlash, the star arrived at the Manchester Opera House, posing by the stage door, and snapping a photo with a fan.

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Beverley is a narrator in the national tour of the rock and roll musical.

This comes one day after Beverley's comments in a wide-ranging interview were slammed by celebrities on social media.

En route: Beverley, who plays Liz McDonald in the soap, has spoken openly about her ongoing battle with depression, and said there was a danger it could become 'fashionable' to discuss mental illness

The star, who is an ambassador for mental health charity MIND, said: 'Real mental illness is very dark and it takes a great deal of strength to ask for help.

'We have to be careful mental illness doesn't become like a Gucci handbag. There is a danger it can become "fashionable".'

However, her comments didn't go down well with fellow celebrities including chef Nadiya Hussain and Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner.

Beverley said that she believed more openness about mental health issues is a good think, adding: 'I think we are now definitely chipping away at the stigma.

Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, 22, hit out at the comments saying: 'Celebrities have a platform to speak out about it and help get rid of the stigma of mental illness which affects 1 in 4 people in UK per year.

New job: Beverley is a narrator in the national tour of the rock and roll musical

Outing: The star looked excited for her stage role as she stepped out

'But please go ahead and shun them back into silence.'

The actress later shared several tweets about mental health and criticised anyone who jokes about the subject.

She said: 'People who think it's okay to make jokes about mental illness, I feel you must be lucky, because surely you don't understand or can't comprehend what it is like to have or know someone with an illness like this.'

Sophie, who is engaged to pop star Joe Jonas, said there is a stigma attached to mental health and that it is important to 'keep this dialogue going' so people who suffer do not 'feel so alone'.

Beverley, who took two months off from Corrie in 2016 after the medication she'd been taking for years was discontinued, has voiced concerns about depression being glamorised in the past.

Speaking on This Morning in September, the actress, who is an ambassador for mental health charity Mind, discussed a book her husband was writing about her struggles.

Fans: In the midst of the online backlash, the star arrived at the Manchester Opera House, posing by the stage door, and snapping a photo with a fan

She explained: 'There is becoming more and more help for people who are suffering from clinical depression or any kind of mental illness, but for the people who live with those people it's so hard.

'There's a great deal of glamour going with it now and it's not a glamorous illness, it's not glamorous for the person who has to live with that and almost become the carer.'

She continued: 'It's how you get to the other side from being in that black hole, but it's also the other side of the relationship and how they hold it together because sometimes they have to be selfish and take care of themselves in order to take care of the other person.'

Response: Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, 22, hit out at the controversial comments on Twitter

Response: Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain, 34, also criticised the comments, writing: 'You haven’t got a clue'

Beverley previously revealed that she has been suffering from depression for decades but reached a low point in 2016 when medication she'd been taking for 15 years was discontinued.

She'd once worked for 18 months without seeking help for her condition, which ultimately led to her passing out on the set of Corrie.

She previously revealed on This Morning that she thinks her illness has harmed her career.

Brave: Beverley (pictured in character as Liz McDonald) previously revealed that she has been suffering from depression for decades but reached a low point in 2016 when medication she'd been taking for 15 years was discontinued

Beverley said: 'When I was at my worst I had to pull out of two jobs and I know those companies will never employ me in future. I think there's a tendency to think that you [can] be flaky and unreliable, but of course really you're just the opposite.

Approximately one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, according to the charity Mind.

In England, one in six people report experiencing a common mental health problem, such as anxiety and depression, in any given week, the charity said.

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details.